Hi all,

 

I'm 44 and been driving for what seems like a lifetime. I'm lucky enough to now be driving an Octavia VRS TSI Dsg.

 

I love driving, however have noticed over time that others are tending to drive much more aggressively now and that I'm encountering road rage frequently from others! All ages, from Mums on the school runs to old ladies/men?

 

My question is, when someone is driving really close behind you, what is the correct course of action?

 

I've tried the slowing down to annoy them and the speeding up to get away although often think to myself that, No, I'm not in the wrong and sticking to the speed limit, I'm overtaking, plus there's cars in front so I can't go anywhere and yet despite this, other drivers stay dangerously close to my rear bumper, why?

 

I would like to add that mostly, I will just pull over and let the fool drive by,....

You have a VRS with headlamp washers. I like to give the car behind me a bath in these types of situations :-)

Ignore them is the best option. I also recommend you never drive in Italy.

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To be honest if happens no matter what you drive these days :(

I've been out with my daughter with the L plates on quite a lot recently and my observation is that most people respect the plates apart from two types of driver: the young lad in his Saxo and the woman driving her BMW Xn (she's often on the phone too).

My advice to my daughter when tailgated (it's pure harassment) is to concentrate on what's ahead and ignore the idiots.

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Before some of the more established members start comparing us to yeti owners remember there are forums outside the O3 section!

It's nice to mix now and then. Maybe pop a post in the general car chat forum?

Anyway, as for tail gaters as tempting as it is to do something other ignore them it's usually the best course of action. Dabbing the brakes etc will probably make the situation worse and also put you in the wrong since you've braked for no reason.

Joys of looking at all new material is I get to see posts in a area I would never visit. 

 

I play New York rules now, what ever is behind me isn't my problem I look after the front of my car and the back of the car in front.

purchase a rear facing camera for the back screen.  I seem to find people back off when they end up spotting my camera in the screen  

Used to get it all the time in my old Blackline.....one of the reasons I got rid and got a more mundane Elegance 2.0 TDi; as fast (as the Mk2 at least) and way more non-descript.

My question is, when someone is driving really close behind you, what is the correct course of action?

I've tried the slowing down to annoy them

You shouldn't slow down to annoy them, but it is perfectly acceptable to slow such that the speed is appropriate for the distance between you.

If that annoys them, then that's an unfortunate consequence, but it shouldn't be the aim. Getting to your destination safely should be the aim.

If the following driver wants to go faster they can overtake. If it's not safe to overtake, then it would be sensible for them to drive more slowly and allow a greater braking distance anyway.

What has amazed me recently are the couple of drivers following that have flashed, beeped and questioned my lineage when I'm holding them up by sticking to the speed limit.

If someome is in the car with me I get them to obviously look around at the car and they often back off: I figure sometimes people don't realize how close they are and the face to face thing helps.

Failing that I just drive normally but leave a bit more space in front of me in case I need it for the both of us if traffic suddenly stops.

I don't like the passive-aggressive approach of driving extra slow (but admit I've done it often in the past). It just winds people up.

When I'm on my own I often test the tailgater's cornering abilities. It's amusing how many drivers can't hang on to the family's 1.2l Fiat Panda on 155s round an open roundabout.

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When I'm on my own I often test the tailgater's cornering abilities. It's amusing how many drivers can't hang on to the family's 1.2l Fiat Panda on 155s round an open roundabout.

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Yes, they do seem to lack the understanding that being close actually reduces visibility.

Have done this myself.   (not in a Panda though)

Interesting subject this, I get the same thing happen a lot too, in most cases I believe that the tailgater doesn't do it deliberately, they do it plainly because they are not very good drivers, lack of experience, I drive late at night frequently, and you get the 6 inches from the bumper brigade still even with completely clear roads no another car in sight for miles, the thing is they have no actual intention of speeding up overtaking they just want somebody to follow, they are blissfully unaware of what they are doing.

I love driving, however have noticed over time that others are tending to drive much more aggressively now and that I'm encountering road rage frequently from others! All ages, from Mums on the school runs to old ladies/men?

...

I've tried the slowing down to annoy them ...

Sorry, but I think you need to stop and ask yourself whether its you who's actually the road-rager

If you're constantly finding folks tailgating you, maybe you should ask what it is about your driving style which is provoking this

Having been driving for the same time as yourself, I've found tailgating has declined

Just food for thought

Edited 24 March, 201412 yr by snow_muncher

If someome is in the car with me I get them to obviously look around at the car and they often back off: I figure sometimes people don't realize how close they are and the face to face thing helps.

A few years ago when the missus was quite heavily pregnant, she took me to a small country pub.

At closing time, we left, and almost immediately there was a car close on our tail, so close that at times their headlights were not visible.

My missus isn't the most confident of drivers, and was getting very agitated and distracted by the car behind especially as the road was narrow, unlit and not one she'd driven on before.

As passenger, I did the turn round and stare thing, backed up with a blast from my 6 D-cell maglite that happened to be in the car.

It lit the face of the officer driving the car up a treat.

Blue lights.

Heated discussion.

Agree that you should concentrate on the road in front, - Keep your distance from the car in front so that you can stop without hitting them these are the rules.

 

It is the responsibility of the driver behind you to be able to stop without rear ending you.- To add a bit of comfort, put in a rear facing camera it may not keep them at bay, but at least IF they do hit you , while calmly taking details you can casually point out the video evidence from the camera, it will very likely deter them from denying they were too close.

Ignore them is the best option. I also recommend you never drive in Italy.

I've driven quite extensively in Italy and the driving culture is a lot different there.

Put simply, everyone drives at their own speed and (apart from Brit tourists that haven't quite got it yet) drive in such a way that others can do the same.

Drivers make space for each other and do everything they can to keep the traffic moving.

In Italy it looks a lot more chaotic but the drivers are paying active attention to what's going on around them. In the UK, people sick rigidly to "rules" and are often oblivious to what's going on.

...

It lit the face of the officer driving the car up a treat.

Blue lights.

Heated discussion.

Been there, done that - lol

It is the responsibility of the driver behind you to be able to stop without rear ending you.

I quite agree that from a legal perspective that's true, but perhaps it's my motorcycling background coming through; accidents still ******* hurt, even if you're in the right.

I've only seen tailgating on the motorway when someone wants to pass the idiot in front of them who's stayed in the outside lane for no reason and they get real close behind to bully them out the way.

 

The little chav who thought it was clever to drive right up behind me in a 30mph limit (when I was going 30-31) didn't feel so great when I stopped dead in front of him and got out (I could see his size and age).  Having a 6' 3" 250lbs guy walking towards him, he quickly reversed (he was that close) then sped off.

 

Pity really, cause I really wanted a chat with him.

Really interesting responses all,..

 

I for one think it has got worse over time but perhaps that's down to more cars on the road so less room for error!

 

I did start pulling over when someone annoyed me to let them pass, however that was fine until the next idiot came along within 5 minutes doing the same, never got anywhere if I kept pulling over!

 

What's annoying though is that I'm not driving slowly and on most occasions doing the speed limit + a little!

Lets start by assuming that the kind of people posting here are unlkely to be driving ridiculously slowly - in fact, many writers say they were at or sightly above the prevailing speed limit when someone tried to "push" them from behind.

So there is only one person driving badly - the person driving too close behind.  Tempting though it may be, there is no point in making it two people driving badly.

If the person behind appears to want to drive more quickly than you, let them overake if at all possible.  What speed they choose to drive at is entirely their own business, not yours.  So on an open road, make it easy for them, by leaving plenty of room ahead of you for them to move back into when they overtake.  It is always easier to overtake just one car at a time.

If it is a narrow road where overtaking would be difficult or dangerous, and if you are not in a hurry, look for a place where you can pull over and let them by.  For all you know, they may have a genuine and important reason for wanting or neeeding to drive at a faster speed than you.  Just let them get on with it.  You can then relax and they can then go on their way - two contented people.

I don't claim to be a particularly good driver but I enjoy driving and I try to do it well.  I also like to get on with it.  I don't like having people behind me - I'm not used to it, and If they have caught up with me they clearly want to drive more quickly than me.  I am more than willing to help them get past and get well away from me.

If that driver is immedately replaced by another driver crowding you from behind, and then by yet another, perhaps you seriously need to think about the speed you are driving at.  Is there a long queue behind you?  That fact might suggest something to you ...

It's a bit different in town, naturally, but the same thing applies.  Make it easy for them to overtake if possible, and leave a bit more room in front - in these circumstances, for a different reason, as others have already said.  This will reduce the likelihood of you having to brake suddenly and thus risking two accidents instead of one.  A smart driver is one who avoids other people's accidents as well as his own.

Edited 24 March, 201412 yr by Stuarted

Sorry, but I think you need to stop and ask yourself whether its you who's actually the road-rager

If you're constantly finding folks tailgating you, maybe you should ask what it is about your driving style which is provoking this

Having been driving for the same time as yourself, I've found tailgating has declined

Just food for thought

sorry but I think your wrong, I have always driven a lot, at one point doing about 80k a year and peoples driving has got worse.i would say most days I see some idiot on the road and its not just young or BMW drivers  its HGV, van drivers, women in X5s, OAP's and the amount of people doing stupid things with their kids in the car amazes me. 

my favourite that I see is getting in the left lane at an island and thinking its fine to go all the way round the island in that lane to turn right.

just my opinion